cooley



- 2Sheets-Sheet 1. S. GOOLEY.

UAR COUPLING.

(No Model.)

Patented Nov. 8, 1887.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.) v

S. COOLEY. GAR COUPLING.

No. 372,895. Patented Nov. 8, 1887.

wnnnssng:

IN VENTOR ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

SAMUEL GOOLEY, OF FLEMINGTON, NEW JERSEY.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,895, dated November 8, 1887.

Application filed June 25, 1887.

To all whom it may" concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL CooLEY, of Flemington, in the county of Hunterdon and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Oar-Coupling, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to' an improved form of car-couplers, and has for its object to provide a coupler capable of being uncoupled without passing between the cars, and wherein a secure coupling may be expeditiously and automatically effected.

The further object of the invention is to provide a coupler wherein alink attached to each draw-head will independently couple with a revoluble pin in the opposing draw-head.

The invention consists in providing the draw-heads with a coupling -wheel and a spring-actuated link, and in the construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure lis aside elevation of opposing drawheads having my improvements applied, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of one draw-head, the other being horizontally sectioned on line w w of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of one draw-head. Fig. 4is a plan view of one drawhead and a horizontal section through the opposing draw-head, both being in a coupled position. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view of the coupling-wheel and controlling-bar.

In carrying out the invention the front 1 of the draw-head is provided partially with a perpendicular face, 2, and an outwardly-inclined convex face, 3, the inclined face and perpendicular face uniting centrally the drawhead.

In the perpendicular face 2 a link-opening, 4, is made,'the convex surface of the inclined face 3 extending inward and forming one wall of the same, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

Centrally the inclined face within the linkopening a horizontal slot, 5, is out, which slot may or may not extend through the outer side of the draw-head, the slot, however,being of such length as to extend from the rear of the draw-head a distance beyond the link-opening.

Serial No. 242.478. (No model.)

The said slot'5 also extends to the rear of the link-opening, as seen at 6, leading into the same, and in the opposing wall of the linkopening in horizontal alignment with the slot 5 a shallower'slot, 7, is produced.

Within the slot 5 a coupling-wheel, 8, is pivoted, consisting ofa hub, 9, and a series of four or more curved arms, 10, integral with the hub and radiating therefrom, as shown in Fig. 5, the said arms as the Wheel revolves being adapted to span the link-opening, and, curving inward,enter, respectively, the slots 6 and 7.

I A coupling-link consisting of a loop or hook, 11, having an integral shank, 12, is provided each draw-head, the shank being made to project through a suitable horizontal opening in the perpendicular face 2 of the drawhead and intoa recess, 13, formed in one lower side of the same, as shown to the right in Fig. 1.

A collar, 14, is slid over the shank 12 to a bearing against the wall of the recess l3,and a spiral or coil spring, 14, is made to encircle the said shank, hearing at one end upon the collar 14 and at the other end against a collar or washer, 15, held securely upon the end of the shank. Thus, while the coupling-link will yield to any sudden strain brought to bear upon it, the same will automatically return to place when the strain is removed, the link being thereby prevented from readily breaking.

The spring may be dispensed with, if desired; but it is of great value in starting a heavy train, as by its use the cars are started one after another. I

A vertical slot, 16, is cut transversely in the draw-head to an intersection with the rear end of the horizontal slot 5, which slot is continued through the bottom of the draw-head in a reduced form.

Within the slot 16 a rod, 17, is held to slide, its movements being limited by a flange, 18, at the top and apin, 19, at the bottom. The

upper portion or body, 20, of the bar is made preferably rectangular,which portion has play in the upper part of the slot 16, and the said body is provided with an integral circular leg, 21, adapted to enter and slide in the reduced or lower part of the aforesaid slot 16.

To the lower end of the body of the rod 17 a block,22, is pivoted to swingoutward only, as

shown in Fig. 5,which block isofa width equaling the distance intervening theleg 21 and the edge of the body 20. WVhen the coupling is effected, the said block prevents the wheel from turning backward to unlock by reason of the arms pressing against the inner side, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

In operation, when it is desired to couple, the rod or bar 17 is allowed to remain in its normal position-that is, with the flange l8 resting upon the draw-head and the hinged block 22 engaging the arms of the wheel. As the link of each draw-head enters the linkopening of the opposing draw-head and engages an arm of the coupling-wheel, the said arm passes to the rear. As the other arms to the rear strike the inner side of the block 22, thesaid bloclgswinging outward, )ermits them to pass. Thus the next arm above the one struck by the link is brought down by the revolution ofthe wheel and entering the hook or loop of the link can go no farther. lVhen tension is exerted upon the links, the upper and inner arm of the wheel coming in contact with the outer surface of the block 22, which will notyield when so pressed, is held ina fixed position and the said wheel consequently prevented from turning. To uncouple, the bar 17 is pulled upward, which removes the block from the slot 5, whereby no obstruction is offered to the arms of the wheel.

The bar 17 may be raised by means of a chain attached thereto and to a shaft revolving in bearings transversely the end of the car, or in any other well-known manner, and

may be operated from the roof or sides of the car.

\Vith the hook form of link the coupler may be made to couple with a pin-coupler by attaching to said hook a bent link; or a long link may be held in the link-opening by one arm of the coupling-wheel, or it may be connected with the link and bolt in the slot 5, just in front of the coupling-wheel, by extending the slot on the face 3.

In order to retain the bar 17 in an unlocked position, so that the cars may be driven ahead without coupling, a ring, 23, is provided the top of the bar, which ring, when the bar is raised, will enter a groove, 24, cut in the upper side of said draw-head, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

It will be observed that the cars will couple whether the bar 17 is up or down. When the bar is up, it will require only a slight jar to trip the ring or look and let the bar drop, and when said bar is up the car may be driven ahead by pushing against the draw-head and not bumping the same.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-coupler, a draw-head provided with a coupling-wheel consisting of a hub and a series of integral curved arms, and with a link consisting of a spring-actuated hook or loop secured in said draw-head at one side of the 1ink-opening,substantially as herein shown and described.

2.. In a car-coupler, a draw-head provided with a coupling-wheel consisting of a hub and a series of integral curved arms, a link consisting of a spring-actuated hook or loop secured in said draw-head at one side the linkopening, and means for retaining saidwheel in a fixed position, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a car-coupler, the combination, with a draw-head provided with a link-opening, 4, horizontal slots 5, 6, and 7, and a transverse slot, 16, of a coupling-wheel, 8, pivoted in said slot 5, provided with curved arms 10, a spring-actuated hook or loop link, 11, and a locking device, 17, whereby the wheel is held in a fixed position, substantially as shown and described.

4'. In a car-coupler, the combination, with a draw-head having a partially inclined and perpendicular front and provided with a linkopening, 4, horizontal slots 5, 6, and 7, and a transverse slot, 16, of a coupling-wheel, 8, pivoted in said slot 5, provided with a springactuated hook or loop link, 11, at one side the link-opening, a locking-bar, 17, adapted to enter the slot 16, provided with a hinged block, 22, and means for retaining said bar in an unlocked position, substantially as described.

SAMUEL GOOLEY.

Witnesses:

JOHN B. CASE, P. T. B. NEVINs. 

